The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and a coalition of 60 news and press freedom organizations are urging federal, state, and local officials to ensure that authorities responding to protests in Los Angeles are properly trained on journalists’ right to report on law enforcement activity.
In a letter sent on Friday, the media coalition cites multiple reports of journalists being injured and detained while covering the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, including reports of possible targeting, which would violate the First Amendment.
“While we also recognize the important role of law enforcement to protect public safety and crowd control, the right and ability of the press to document law enforcement and other government activity safely and effectively is foundational to self-government and has long been recognized and protected by the courts,” the media coalition argues in the letter, which is addressed to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and other officials.
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